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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29356080">And when I touch you, I feel happy inside</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilded_Moon/pseuds/Gilded_Moon'>Gilded_Moon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witchlands Series - Susan Dennard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aeduan's hissing problem, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Some Shenanigans, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, for everybody, physical affection, the first part of my Valentine's Day writing spam extravaganza, this is pure sweetness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:36:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,818</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29356080</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilded_Moon/pseuds/Gilded_Moon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Physical affection prompts for some of our favorite Witchlands couples.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aeduan/Iseult det Midenzi, Ryber Fortiza/Kullen Ikray, Vivia Nihar/Stacia "Stix" Sotar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Aeduan is Iseult's chair now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This chapter was requested by @thenerdandfandoms. Thank you for asking this. It was so fun to write. Title from "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles. -Moon</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iseult was late. Owl had not wanted to go to bed that night, so Iseult had sent Aeduan to the meeting about Vaness’s birthday party ahead of her so she could get their child to sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That had taken Iseult much longer than she originally thought. And now she was an hour late to the rather important meeting that Safi had told her to attend at all costs. They were trying to make a plan for how to set up the empress’s party without Vaness finding out. The only people at the meeting would be Iseult, Aeduan, Safi, Merik, Leopold, Caden, and Iseult’s mentors, Mathew and Habim. This was because Lev and Zander were distracting Vaness so the party could be planned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once she was sure Owl was asleep, Iseult left the house in Evrane’s care and practically ran down the street to one of Mathew’s coffee shops and threw open the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry I’m late,” Iseult said in between gulps of air. “Owl did<em> not</em> want to go sleep at her bedtime.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Habim waved Iseult towards the table that he and the others were seated around. “Your bloodwitch explained. Come in Iseult.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult shut the door behind her and walked forward. She looked for a seat around the table before realizing there were none.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry Iz. All the chairs got filled,” Safi explained. “We can probably find you one.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult turned to go get a chair when Aeduan said, “You can have my chair, Iseult. I don’t mind standing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No need. I-I think I f-found a seat anyway,” Iseult said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan gave her a confused glance as that quickly turned to shock as Iseult plopped into his lap and made herself comfortable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is-Iseult there are chairs in the back,” Mathew said. “You… are aware you can go get one of those chairs, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But I al-already have a c-chair Mathew,” Iseult responded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her mentor opened his mouth to speak again but shut it as he could not think of anything to say. Habim’s threads were red with anger, but Iseult ignored them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leopold broke the silence by saying, “Oh let me catch you up Iseult since it appears our hosts are tongue-tied at the moment, and our friends seemed distracted by something.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult listened to Leopold explain what she had missed while trying not to laugh at the expressions on the others’ faces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan couldn’t think. One minute he was offering his seat to his girlfriend, and the next Iseult was sitting in his lap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sitting. In his lap. While in front of some of their friends and her mentors no less.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was warm, and the weight of her body felt good, comforting in fact. But oh, it was distracting. Aeduan couldn’t even focus on what Leopold was saying to Iseult. His mind was too focused on the feeling of Iseult in his lap, and <em>by the Wells was she pressing her back into his chest?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Earth to bloodwitch, earth to bloodwitch.” Safi’s loud call broke Aeduan out of his distracted daze.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What? I’m paying attention,” he said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course you are,” Merik said. “Now back to the topic at hand. How are we going to get the supplies to the party hall without Vaness noticing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We can have Vivia and Stix distract her as the rest of us get things set up,” Safi suggested.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Or we could go do it now since Zander and Lev have her out doing who knows what,” said Leopold.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The discussion continued with various points being made, all of which Aeduan listened to but ignored.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you trying to kill me?” He whispered to Iseult as Safi and Caden had argument over how to sneak the cake into the party hall.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I would never,” she whispered back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh? Then why am I apparently your chair now, hmm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult shifted in his lap as she answered, “There where no chairs open, and your lap was as good an option as any. I-I can move i-if you want me t-to though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her against his chest to stop her from getting off his lap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t you dare,” Aeduan whispered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult blushed but did not move.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey lovebirds,” Merik called. “We came up with a plan. This is what we’re going to do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The plan was a good one, and for once it actually worked when the group tried it out a few days later. Vaness’s party was a success, as was Iseult’s plan to use Aeduan as a chair whenever she could get away with it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan couldn’t complain. He rather liked being a chair if it meant holding his girlfriend in his lap.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Vix messing with someone's hair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This one was requested by @bilingualandconfused. I really liked writing this. These two are so sweet ahhh.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stix had been waiting for hours.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivia was in a meeting with those bastards in the high council discussing the merits of a plan to distribute food from the Hasstrel estate in Lovats.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had told Stix the meeting would not take long, but Stix hadn’t believed her. The high council did not want to give up food they could keep for themselves instead of giving it to the people who needed it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix didn’t have the patience for the high council that her amazing girlfriend did, so Stix had opted to wait for Vivia in their bedroom.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix’s thoughts were interrupted as the door to her and Vivia’s bedroom opened and slammed shut, followed by mutterings of “arrogant bastards” and “self-righteous pricks.” Stix smiled as she watched Vivia approach the couch she sat on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Enjoy your meeting Viv?” Stix asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I did not,” Vivia answered as she flopped onto the couch besides Stix and laid her head in her girlfriend’s lap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix smiled down at Vivia and ran a hand through her hair. “What did they do now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmmmm keep doing that. It feels nice,” Vivia purred.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course, your majesty.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I introduced a plan to distribute the food equally, beginning at Pin’s Keep,” Vivia said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix nodded. She remembered the plan that Vivia had explained to her. It was a good plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your father loved it and was ready to help himself. A few other vizers were on board as well. But some of them hated it. They thought my plan would give too much food to the common people, and they would be left without hrrrghrhh.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix giggled at the sound Vivia made as she scratched Vivia’s scalp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Enjoying yourself, Viv?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yesssss,” Vivia sighed. “You know what, bitching about the council can wait. Just do that and tell me a story or something.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ok. What about I tell you about the boat ride I took this morning?” Stix asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, just ohhh keep doing that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix laughed and continued to run her fingers through Vivia’s hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She told Vivia all about how the water felt that morning, and how clear the sky was. Stix also told Vivia about the birds she observed sitting in their spot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The entire time Stix never stopped moving her fingers through her girlfriend’s hair. She switched between scratching at Vivia’s scalp and running the stands of Vivia’s hair across her hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stix, can we take a boat ride to the blghc!” Vivia cried as Stix tossed a handful of Vivia’s hair into her mouth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stacia why would you do that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix laughed and looked down at her pouting girlfriend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because I thought it was funny. And Stacia? Why did I lose my nickname Viv?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivia was clearly trying not to burst into laughter as she said, “You threw hair in my mouth.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Afraid of a little hair in your mouth?” Stix teased.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivia rolled her eyes and pulled Stix’s hands back into her hair. “Anyway, I was trying to ask if you wanted to go on a long boat ride along the coast tomorrow.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I would love to, Viv,” Stix answered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just don’t put hair in my mouth again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I wouldn’t dream of it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stix convinced Vivia to stay cuddled up the couch for the rest of the day. Vivia even let Stix braid her hair albeit with multiple warnings that she better not end up with her in mouth again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They talked of many things, some important though many were not. Stix was just happy she got to spend time with Vivia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was worth the wait.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Rylen headpats</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I picked this one because they are adorable and they deserve it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was time to reorganize her bookcase. Again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber had sworn she hadn’t bought enough books to overfill her main shelf. She thought she had kept it under control this time. But she hadn’t and now she had to reorganize her bookshelf to fit everything again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber started by pulling all her books off the shelf then organizing them into piles of priority. She was debating where to put one of the rather terrible books that Merik once gave her when she felt a hand pat her on the head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are you up to Ryberta?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kullen. Her heart-thread. Ryber had been so absorbed in her books that she hadn’t heard him enter their shared apartment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hello Captain. I’m reorganizing my bookshelf again,” Ryber said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kullen frowned. “Didn’t you do that just last month?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, but needs done again,” Ryber sniffed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh ok. Need any help?” Kullen asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber shook her head. “No. I can handle it. Maybe you should organize yours though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kullen laughed and walked away calling, “Not today, Ry. I’ll make us dinner instead.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber smiled at her boyfriend’s response. She had been trying to get Kullen to organize his mess of a bookshelf for years. He refused claiming he would never do it because he liked how cute she looked when she tried to convince him of the benefits of an organized bookshelf.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some time passed as Ryber slowly began to build up her bookshelf in alphabetical (and priority) order. Occasionally Kullen would walk past her and pat her on the head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was rather adorable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eventually, Ryber finished reorganizing her bookshelf in a perfect new order. She smiled at the sight of a neat, organized bookshelf.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber felt another pat on her head and heard Kullen say, “Dinner is ready Ry-ry. Do you want to come eat, or are you too focused on admiring your bookshelf rather than your extremely handsome boyfriend?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber laughed at her boyfriend’s words. “I would love to come eat. And I don’t know. I think the bookshelf is very handsome.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kullen pouted as he led her to dinner he had made. When they had first started dating, Kullen had been a terrible cook. He’d even set the kitchen on fire once although Ryber still had no idea how that had happened. But with Ryber’s help, Kullen had become a very capable cook and could make almost anything now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kullen’s dinner was delicious. He had cooked everything perfectly.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So Ryber,” Kullen said as they were cuddling on the couch after dinner. “Did you reorganize your bookshelf in the most perfect order?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I did,” answered Ryber. “You should try it sometime.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I could never,” chuckled Kullen. “You trying to convince me to organize my books is too funny and rather adorable.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryber rolled her eyes. “You are something Captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I am,” said Kullen proudly as he patted Ryber on the head once more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Baesult messing with someone's hair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Requested by @thenerdandfandoms. Thank you so much for requesting this. I live for any excuse to write fluff for these two. And perhaps a little crack. On occasion.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iseult sighed as she leaned back against the couch. She’d had a long day of taking care of Owl while Aeduan visited Evrane at the local Carawen outpost. Who knew taking care of a seven-year-old child could be so exhausting? Not that Iseult minded. She loved her daughter, but that did nothing to change the relief Iseult felt once Owl had gone to bed leaving Iseult to relax while waiting for Aeduan’s return.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult was nearly asleep when she heard the door of her and Aeduan’s house open then close. She smiled. That meant Aeduan was back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Iseult? Where are you?” Her boyfriend called.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“In the living room,” Iseult responded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few moments later, Aeduan appeared in the doorway. He smiled at Iseult and walked over to join her on the couch. Iseult stood to greet him with a kiss. Aeduan wrapped his arms around Iseult and pulled her into a tight a hug.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How was your day?” He said quietly in her ear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It was good. Owl and I had quite a few adventures,” she answered. “How was your visit with Evrane?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan raised an eyebrow at that. “I hope they were good adventures. The visit went well. Evrane sends her love to you and Owl.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult laughed. “I’ll make sure to tell Owl in the morning. As far as our adventures, we didn’t do anything illegal if that’s what you’re wondering. Let’s sit down, and I’ll tell you all about them.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sat down on the couch and cuddled together while they told each other about their days. Iseult talked about how she and Owl had gone shopping for new hairbows which were currently scattered across the table next to the couch, the lunch they shared on the wharf, and the tricks they had pulled on some hateful people who didn’t appreciate the two Nomatsis walking about the city.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You-you really tripped him and sent him flying into the canals?” Aeduan once he was able to stop laughing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We did,” Iseult said proudly. “It was quite funny.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sure it was,” said Aeduan as he leaned farther into Iseult’s shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had been leaning farther and farther into her the longer they talked. It was Aeduan’s way of asking for Iseult to play with his hair. Neither of them were good at outright asking for affection, so they asked for affection in other subtle ways. Just like now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult shifted to end of the couch and gestured for Aeduan to rest his head in her lap so she could play with his hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her bloodwitch gave her a shy smile and laid across the couch with his head in her lap. Iseult began running her hands through Aeduan’s short hair and grinned at the pleased hum that came from Aeduan as she did it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, how was your trip to the monastery?” She asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmmm it was good. She made me spar with her to see if I let my “domestic life” make me soft, hrrrngh that feels good,” Aeduan said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult giggled at Aeduan’s near purr. “Well has your domestic life made you soft?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan looked up at Iseult and snorted. “If this is what being soft is, then I could care less.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult continued to play with Aeduan’s hair as he told her all the details of his sparring match with Evrane and the long conversation they had after.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan was talking about how Evrane wanted them to bring Owl over for a visit when Iseult had an idea. She took her hands out of Aeduan’s hair and reached for the new hairbows on the table beside her. However, when Iseult removed her hands from Aeduan’s hair, she heard a loud hiss.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult snapped her gaze to Aeduan who was looking rather sheepish. “Did. Did you just… hiss at me? Like a cat?” She asked incredulously.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan refused to look at her as a blush raced up his face. “I… may have.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult couldn’t help it. She burst into laughter. Aeduan had <em>hissed</em> at her. Never once had she heard him do such a thing. Who knew that Aeduan could, or would do such a thing? Iseult found it rather hilarious.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan sat up and turned to look at her. “There’s no need to laugh like that,” he sniffed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why did you hiss at me?” Iseult asked in between giggles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s a bad habit alright? Plus, it worked well to scare people,” he said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You hissed at people?! On-on purpose?” Iseult was laughing harder than ever. Only her bloodwitch would purposely hiss at people to scare them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up,” Aeduan muttered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sorry it’s just too funny not to laugh. Come back here. There’s something I want to do,” Iseult said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan eyed her for a moment then shrugged and returned his head to her lap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looked up her in confusion as he saw her holding some Owl’s hairbows. “What are you doing Iseult?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, I just wanted to try something. May I?” She asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan nodded. Over the course of the next hour, Iseult tied quite a few of Owl’s hairbows into Aeduan’s hair. He looked somewhat ridiculous, but Iseult thought it was rather adorable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on,” she said as she stifled her laugh. “Go look in the mirror.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan got up, looked in the mirror and groaned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why did I let you touch my hair?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Because you love me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aeduan turned and returned her hug. “Yes, I do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iseult reached up and ran her hand through Aeduan’s hair again. “Just wait until Owl sees you. She’ll never let you forget it. Now let’s go to bed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owl did in fact love the hairbows in Aeduan’s hair once she saw them the next morning.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading :D -Moon</p></blockquote></div></div>
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